Preschool to Third Grade Teaching Certificate of Achievement

The Preschool to Third Grade Teaching Certificate of Achievement (COA) is designed to provide a foundation to work with children age three through third grade. This foundational knowledge includes child growth and development, lesson planning, behavior management and expectations, observing and assessing children using formal and informal instruments, designing developmentally appropriate activities, experiences, and lessons for children age three to grade three, in addition to hands-on experience with children in the age group.

Upon successful completion of this COA students will be able to:

1. Observe and assess children in multiple domains using formal and informal assessment tools that inform the planning cycle.

2.  Create developmentally appropriate activities, experiences, and lessons for children age 3 through grade three that comply with state standards.

3.  Develop a progressive understanding of child development to inform practice and expectations within the classroom environment.

4. Describe underlying needs for behavior communication and analyze and apply strategies to address these needs.

5. Gain hands-on experience in both a PK classroom and a K-3 classroom.

Because of a shift in the field of early care and education, transitional kindergarten is expanding statewide.  This expansion requires all multi-subject credentialed teachers who teach TK to obtain a minimum of 24 child development units.  Given this trend, we conservatively anticipate that at least 20 certificates of achievement  will be awarded each year.

The certificate of achievement in Preschool to Third Grade Teaching is designed to further prepare students as multi-subject credentialed teachers, teacher assistants in center-based programs, teachers in school-based programs, and providers of family childcare that serve children age three to grade three. The state requires at least 24 units of child development(CD)/early childhood education (ECE) coursework for multi-subject credentialed teachers to teach in a Transitional Kindergarten or Preschool district classroom. Varying levels of CD/ECE units are required for teacher assistants depending on the school district. All courses are CSU transferable. Courses in this certificate of achievement can be applied to local and transfer degrees.

Because of state decisions to create a specialized credential for teaching age three through grade three, there is a need for current multi-subject credentialed teachers to acquire state-required coursework and for students currently going into the field to have completed the required coursework. This COA is one of the stackable components of the Child Development PAs, COAs and degrees.

The certificate of achievement in Preschool to Third Grade Teaching is designed to further prepare students as multi-subject credentialed teachers, teacher assistants in center-based programs, teachers in school-based programs, and providers of family childcare that serve children age three to grade three. The state requires at least 24 units of child development(CD)/early childhood education (ECE) coursework for multi-subject credentialed teachers to teach in a Transitional Kindergarten or Preschool district classroom. Varying levels of CD/ECE units are required for teacher assistants depending on the school district. All courses are CSU transferable. Courses in this certificate of achievement can be applied to local and transfer degrees.

Because of state decisions to create a specialized credential for teaching age three through grade three, there is a need for current multi-subject credentialed teachers to acquire state-required coursework and for students currently going into the field to have completed the required coursework. This COA is one of the stackable components of the Child Development PAs, COAs and degrees.

Required Core Courses

CD V02Child Growth and Development 3 units

CD V04Observation and Assessment  2.5 units

CD V04LObservation and Assessment Laboratory  .5 units

CD V22Behavior Management in Early Childhood Education  3 units

CD V63Introduction to Curriculum in Early Childhood Education 3 units

CD V95Child Development Internship I (1 unit required; 4 units max.)  1 units

EDU V03Introduction to Elementary Teaching  3 units

Total Required Core Units 16

Elective Courses: 

Select One

EDU V08Children's Art within a Multicultural Perspective3

EDU V09Dance and Music for Transitional Kindergarten through the Elementary Years3

EDU V10Literacy in Diverse Classrooms3

Elective Course Units3--------------------------------------------Total Required Units for the COA19